Kim ‘ready for talks to end crisis’
"Parity has been achieved, and they are ready to sit down at the negotiating table with the Americans and decide everything peacefully." Vitaly Pashin, Russian MP
NORTH KOREA: North Korea is ready to negotiate an end to the nuclear crisis, after perfecting its intercontinental ballistic missile technology in a test last week, according to a Russian delegation recently returned from Pyongyang.
One of North Korea’s leaders told Russian MPS that, having achieved the ultimate deterrent, it was ready to talk as long as its nuclear status was recognised by the United States.
‘‘Parity has been achieved, and they are ready to sit down at the negotiating table with the Americans and decide everything peacefully,’’ Vitaly Pashin told the Interfax news agency after a fourday visit to Pyongyang last week, during which North Korea testfired a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Hwasong15. The Russians met Kim Yongnam, effectively North Korea’s ceremonial head of state.
North Korean state media reported that the Hwasong-15 could strike anywhere in the US, a claim cautiously endorsed by foreign experts, based on its flight path and trajectory, although many believe that North Korea lacks the ability to arm it with a nuclear warhead that could reliably be detonated over an American city.
‘‘[North Korean leader] Kim Jong-un declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force,’’ the Korean Central News Agency said. ‘‘They would not pose any threat to any country and region as long as the interests of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea are not infringed upon.’’
The possible agenda of any talks with the US is unclear. China and Russia have proposed that Pyongyang freeze its weapons development in return for the suspension of large-scale military training by the US and South Korea, such as this week’s air force exercises.
According to the Russian visitors, Kim Yong-nam said the US must formally recognise the North as a nuclear power. Successive US presidents, including Donald Trump, have insisted that North Korea give up nuclear weapons before talks.
‘‘It is not enough for [North Korea] to stop its programme where it is today,’’ Katina Adams, the US state department spokeswoman, told Voice of America. ‘‘North Korea must be prepared to come to the table ready to chart a course to cease and roll back its nuclear weapons programme.’’
Three commercial airline crews reported seeing the ICBM fired by North Korea last week, it was revealed yesterday.
Two Korean Air pilots and the crew on a Cathay Pacific flight reported seeing a flash of light on the day of the missile launch last Thursday. They are believed to have seen the missile blowing up or falling apart. It remains unclear how close the explosion was to the flights.
Yesterday, the US and South Korea began huge joint aerial exercises in response to the launch by Pyongyang. The exercises will involve simulated precision attacks on North Korea’s military installations, including its missile launch sites and artillery units.